Huntercombe hunts out best irrigation system for compact tees and vast greens

The equipment

Toro Lynx central control system

Flex 55 sprinklers

Flex 35 sprinklers

The background

Huntercombe Golf Club, renowned for its historic significance and acclaimed course design by Willie Park Junior, faced the challenge of optimising irrigation across its expansive greens and compact tees. As the number one course in Oxfordshire, maintaining the original 1901 layout while ensuring thorough and even water coverage posed a significant operational challenge.

The brief

With large greens that together cover 1.7 hectares, with some up to 1000m2, alongside very compact tees, course manager Grant Steward, recognised the need for a system that would work for both areas. It needed to be something that could cover great distance on the greens while working well in a small area too. 

Having used Toro in previous deputy roles at Sunningdale in Ascot and Fairmont St Andrews, there was no question Grant would go with Toro, it was just a case of which items in the range would best suit the club’s needs.

The results

In the end the decision was made for a Toro Lynx central control system, and Flex 55 and Flex 35 sprinklers to cover the vast greens, utilising a ring main to control pressure and ensure comprehensive coverage. The heads on the fourth green put out 16 litres of water a second, guaranteeing every inch of that big green is as well watered.

For the compact tees, Toro T5 sprinklers were selected for their suitability in smaller areas. The sprinklers stood out for their heads which allows the greenkeeping team to change the arcs when running with no tools. They can move the heads to water any area and don’t have to be concerned that the gears will be damaged.

The conclusion

By choosing Toro irrigation, Huntercombe became a ‘Toro Total Solutions’ club, using both the brand’s irrigation and machinery.

Ultimately, Grant’s trust in Toro’s reliability and quality underscored Huntercombe’s dedication in becoming a ‘Total Solutions’ club and combining both Toro irrigation and machinery is key as it continues in its journey to excellence in course management.